Cowardly Lion or Self-preserving Snake
by JoyHazelAnderson
Summary: James loves Lily and Harry. And he must make a decision to prove it to himself. AU. #australia a bit cracky. OOC characters. Baby Harry. Everybody not in Slytherin is Slytherin.#lord Potter.


It was a very simple equation, really.

 _James Potter plus years of proving himself to Lily Evans plus only a few months of marriage plus a Prophecy about their new baby minus the feeling of safety his house used to give him whenever his friends were around (except Sirius who was his brother) equaled a one way trip to Australia with all his family and all his world possessions._

He loved Lily before he became a man for God's sake. He was not risking her life to prove that he could protect her against maniac on a killing spree. There were many other ways to do that and he could start by making sure she and his baby lived long comfortable lives. Another factor of the equation was about that actually. In the Potter family charter, it was stated very clearly that any eligible heir that involved themself actively in any side of any war or any bloodfeud was to be banned from taking the head of household position, in other words the Lordship. Thus they could definitely not access the family vaults. They also could not know how many family vaults there were. They were only entitled to the Potter member vault, which was given to each child at their birth and commonly referred to as the trust vault. And James might not be a pampered extravagant prince anymore but that was not enough to make his precious Tiger-Lily and Prongslet comfortable enough. So he needed out of this stupid war.

James already knew who to trust. Obviously his son and heir, Harry, his wife and life, Lily, and finally his blood brother, Sirius. After Sirius had almost died by his own mother's hand in the summer before sixth year, he had never returned to his family's home. He knew that his brother Regulus was safer, being a Slytherin, so he could leave him. That summer, he and James had performed a ritual to become blood Brothers. So really, he was James Potter-Black and Siri was Sirius Black-Potter. It also helped that James already had Black blood from his Grandma Dorea. After a whole summer of discovering the side effects of basically blood adopting yourself into another family, they decided to keep it a secret and not do it ever again with anyone at all. Who knew what side effects they could get from a werewolf and an unintelligent boy whose animagus form was a rat. They weren't racist or purist or even prejudiced, but anyone who became a Black

through ritual would be weary of trying any ritual again. Their friends' characteristics were just excuses and they knew it.

So James was also going to take Siri along. They were all a family.

James's decision was even more solidified when Dumbledore suggested that they leave Potter Manor and live in a cottage in Godric's Hollow which would then be put under the fidelius charm. 'He should leave the heavily warded Manor for a place whose only protection would put his most trusted friend (brother) in danger.' James thought. Well that was it. Australia here the Potters come. James said yes to Dumbledore of course. Just because he was a Gryffindor did not mean he was an idiot. He had planned pranks, successfully, against Slytherins _**and** most importantly, _he had married Lily. Also he was a pureblood before he was a Gryffindor. He told Lily of his plans when they were packing. She was so proud of him they had to pause for a... reward. Afterwards, she had also revealed the many rituals she had been researching for their protection. (She _was_ Lily Potter. She had put up with Petunia, Severus and the Marauders afterall. And she, had married a rich pureblood heir. She was no gold digger but she was no idiot Gryffindor either)

So they packed in such a way that all their valuables were put together in a single trunk, and the things they were using for their new "home" were separate. The plan was to leave on the night of the casting of the fidelius. This way, the house would be hidden and everyone would think they were in it, and their whole family would be out of the country.

James went to Gringotts and claimed his Lordships (yes they were plural) after swearing not to take part in the war but to defend himself and his family if needed. He then made arrangements to be able to access his family vaults in Australia. Sirius went to his Grandfather Acturus and after swearing a similar oath (and listening to him cursing and insulting his whole family, except James who was praised,) was made official heir to various Lordships connected with the Black Lordship. Before he left he was informed by a very proud and amused Acturus(who being the head if house knew all its members by birth or adoption) that the Black Lordships would have gone to James's son if they had stayed in England. Finally they were ready.

Imagine their shock when Dumbledore suggested that Peter be made Secret Keeper instead of Sirius, _to throw them off the trail,_ them being the death eaters. They hid it well, disguising it as surprise at not thinking of this themselves, because clearly, something fishy was going on. The war had made every one weary of their own bloody left foot, and finding someone to trust was not easy. But they went along with it.

Immediately after Dumbledore had cast the spell and left with his creepy twinkling eyes,they had rounded in on Peter and forced him to swear on his magic that he had never knowingly and would never knowingly do anything to harm any of the Potters. The Lumos he cast afterwards was quite dim, but Peter was probably nervous and was already crying for Merlin's sake. The fidelius had clearly taken a lot out of him. They shooed him out the door after that. The moment he left all Potter house elves were told to pack their uniforms and go to the Potter vacation home in Australia. They made sure to lock all the openings and leave everyone their farewell letters as well as some money (5000galleons) for Remus. Then together, Sirius and James both holding Lily's waist like they were both her husbands and Lily holding Harry, they activated their portkey to the Potter vacation house in Australia (which really needed a new name).

As the new family settled into their new home they did not know that they were really mentioned in a Prophecy, as they had defied a certain Lord for the third time.

 ** _THE END?_**

AN: **_Another rant. Hope you liked it. I think I'm beginning to fully understand the concept of plot bunnies. I thought they were just new ideas that popped up when one was working on a current idea. I did not realize that they were insistent insatiable creativity vampires that forced one to find solace in them when one was trying to perfect a new chapter so that they could suck out one's muses life. But,..._ I _will keep overcoming and overwheling them._**

Toodles


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